[UPDATE: Whoops sorry for the typos, this was a LATE night post and I left off a critical piece of HTML code which negated a paragraph or two. All fixed now.]

Our government is out of control at every level, but by putting just a few competent people in office we can make a big difference.

I and some friends are waking up at an obscene hour this coming Saturday to drive down to the Republican Party of Virginia (RPV) Convention to vote for Bob Marshall as the nominee for U.S. Senate and Jeff Frederick as RPV Chairman. Here’s why.

The Republican Party is seriously screwed because so many of its elected officials don’t stand for much except slogans meant to keep them in power.

In 1994, Republicans swept into power because they presented policy ideas that resonated with the American people. Since then, and especially during the Fat Tuesday era which has been the Bush presidency, they tossed those policies, grabbed money and attempted to consolidate power.

Yes, that is what politicians always do. And that is why they are usually eventually swept out of power. For Republicans, the party has now become the sickness, because everyone sees that mere GOP identification means nothing more than an appeal to keep “our team” in control of the machinery of government and, by extension, the publicly funded spigot of cash.

The reason Republicans continue to go down in electoral flames is, in large part, because their marketing message is boilerplate of what brought them success in the 1990s (or maybe 1980s). Hey, it worked then, why shouldn’t it work now? What many of them seem to miss is that reality – you know, that place where most people actually live – changes. So the message does not just need to change, it needs to be meaningful relative to the issues of the day.

On top of that, I would submit, the Republican “brand” has been so damaged that Republican candidates who wish to succeed should formulate their messages on the basis of policy alone without regard to the historical legacy. Maybe even poke a stick in the Party’s eye. Today, the past don’t sell.

Bob Marshall vs Jim Gilmore for U.S. Senate

Bob Marshall is my choice for GOP nominee for U.S. Senate because he is anything but a party line politician. He has been a longstanding proponent of enforcement of U.S. immigration laws at the state and local levels – when this has NOT been the Virginia GOP standard by any stretch of the imagination. (more here.)

He sent the Help Save Loudoun Honest Business Inititative to Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s office for an official opinion (a story for another day). If these “Honest Business” policies, which are currently in place in various states and localities throughout the U.S., were implemented in Virginia, our illegal immigration problem here would inevitably disappear. All of you who are seeing this problem in your neighborhoods should be rising in support of Bob Marshall, because he is one of only a handful of elected officials working to solve it.

“Jim Gilmore says he’s against amnesty, but he has a long record that suggests otherwise,” Tancredo said. “Less than a year ago, while campaigning for the presidency in Iowa, I witnessed Gilmore give a speech supporting a policy that sounded like amnesty to me.”

Gilmore has basically said illegals simply need to “register” and this will solve our problem. From my front porch, seeing the illegal boarding houses on my street, I don’t see “registration” as anything like the solution.

On other issues, Bob Marshall is similarly impressive. He co-authored the “Marriage Amendment” which passed by a wide margin in 2006, assuring that legal marriage in Virginia would only be between one man and one woman. Following that huge ballot box success, Marshall was in the crosshairs of liberal activists – but against heavily funded opposition he won his legislative seat in 2007 by a wider margin than he had won in 2005.

I think Jim Gilmore would be toast against the Democratic nominee Mark Warner in the general election this fall. Whether justified or not, Gilmore left office with a bad public reputation and Warner left with a good reputation – despite the fact Warner lied about his pledge not to raise taxes. It’s not fair, but it’s Gilmore’s problem. On top of that, Gilmore is the quintessential “vote for me because I am a good Republican” marketer. I think that message is death.

Bob Marshall is a quirky politician, in the sense that he actually thinks independently, who has successfully run against the popular grain, is not running on any cliche Republican mantras, and really represents what Virginians need from their public officials of any party. He is running on policies and principles, not slogans. He is a true citizen-legislator. More people like Bob Marshall in Washington, DC, could turn this country around.

I think an outsider like Bob Marshall, the regular guy with the ubiquitous camera around his neck, speaking frankly, might have a chance of winning in a “Democratic year.”

Jeff Frederick vs John Hager for Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia

Let’s start with the positive: Jeff Frederick is one of the best people we have in elected office in this country right now. It is tempting to make the case via what his idiot enemies are saying about him, but we won’t take that route. Please just note the following from the Help Save Loudoun PAC review of Jeff Frederick:

“We are a nation of legal immigrants, and my mother is proud to be among that group. Like so many legal residents and naturalized citizens, she followed the rules, obeyed our laws, and did her best to assimilate into American culture.”

The first and only Latino elected to Virginia state government, Jeff Frederick made national news in 2005 when he called on then-Governor Mark Warner to declare a state of emergency in Virginia because of illegal immigration.

In 2007, he proposed legislation to prohibit any form of state funding to Virginia “sanctuary” jurisdictions – counties, cities, or towns with policies in place that disregard a person’s illegal status for the purposes of providing services or engaging in law enforcement activities.

In 2008, his sponsored bills included calling for officers of correctional facilities to inquire of the alien status of inmates, that individuals applying for vehicle registrations and certificates of title shall be required to prove legal residency, and that contractors shall not knowingly employ unauthorized aliens.

I have gotten a ton of John Hager’s mail and it is all in the theme “I am a good Republican so vote for me.”

One mailing, which seemed pretty expensive, had Hager in a big photo with Attorney General Bob McDonnell. I have talked with Bob McDonnell, and he seems like a nice guy, but his office has been absolutely abysmal on immigration enforcement in Virginia. McDonnell’s office has said, essentially, that what Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia, and the Town of Herndon have done is impossible for the state of Virginia to do.

I have serious reservations about Bob McDonnell’s commitment to prosecuting immigration crimes in this state. Apart from Senator Ken Stolle, Bob McDonnell is probably the top Republican part-of-the-problem on the illegal alien crisis in this state. Thus I am not too impressed with Hager right off the bat.

Then, what else I have seen from John Hager has been ridiculous. The message in his direct mail has been “I took office 9 months ago and I have talked with many Virginia GOP leaders.”

Hey, John, that’s just peachy, but you are rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. I don’t care who you have talked to, and I don’t care about your goal of “moving Virginia Republicans forward.” Since you took office, Virginia Republicans have gotten creamed in actual elections.

And I won’t even get into John Hager’s whiny complaints that Jeff Frederick has had the audacity to criticize a “fellow Republican.”

“Fellow Republicans” are part of the problem, John. You guys who spout the same old bromides are killing the party.

So I want to see a guy like Jeff Frederick moved into a leadership role who is willing to oppose the tide and shake things up lead the RPV. It is the only hope. As a young, independent-minded and proven effective legislator, Jeff Frederick has made a real impact in the Virginia General Assembly. He has shown a willingness to buck the party line. We need the energy of a Jeff Frederick to remake the Virginia Republican Party.

Comments

Everyone who loves our Country and who wants to see our Government returned to within its Constitutional bounds, must support Jeff Frederick for Chairman and Bob Marshall for our Senate nominee.

There has been much mischief afoot by surly and dark forces during the past eight years. Our Republic has nearly fallen into fascism and the current Imperial President has attempted to dispense with our Constitution.

The Jim Gilmore cabal has promised more years of Bush’s Neocon subterfuge and Mr. Hager pretends to see nothing at all going wrong; even in the face of steady gains by the Democrats.

The People are fed-up with Bush and his contrived, and undeclared, “War on Terror.”

Republicans have a choice: Either show that we are turning away from the Bush Neocn path to destruction by supporting a change in leadership with Mr. Frederick as Chairman and a more libertarian-Republican Senate nominee with Bob Marshall, or do nothing and wring our hands as the “old guard” whom the public sees as just more of the same old Bush Stuff, leads the GOP down into defeat.

Attorney General Requested Review of Sex Offender Registry; Offers it as National Model

RICHMOND – Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell, joined by leaders of U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Virginia State Police, today announced a major law enforcement action to remove 171 convicted criminal alien sex offenders from Virginia. The joint action will serve as a model for other states. ICE called this “Operation Cold Play,” and said it was a component of “Operation Predator,” which is a multi-year effort targeted at sex offenders nationwide. Today’s announcement concludes Phase I of this ongoing operation.

In 2006, Attorney General Bob McDonnell worked with the Virginia General Assembly on numerous improvements to Virginia’s Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry. In addition, the Attorney General assisted in securing 45 new state trooper positions to ensure compliance with Registry regulations and investigative violations. In July of 2007, with the additional investigative resources dedicated to the Sex Offender Registry, the Attorney General requested that the Virginia State Police check the birthplace of each individual on the Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry, and share this information with ICE. The Virginia State Police compiled the list and turned it over to ICE in July of 2007. The original list consisted of 527 names.

ICE agents ran the list against two different federal databases. The process led to the following findings and action:

84 Convicted criminal alien sex offenders on the list had already left the country or been deported
135 Convicted criminal alien sex offenders were incarcerated in the Commonwealth of Virginia (state and local facilities) and are now being processed for removal from the U.S. upon completion of their incarceration
36 Convicted criminal alien sex offenders have been recently taken into federal custody through a joint action involving ICE and Virginia State Police and have been put into removal proceedings.

“This is a milestone in our effort to remove criminal illegal aliens from the Commonwealth,” McDonnell said. “Using the data from our improved Sex Offender Registry, and the additional manpower of the troopers assigned to the new State Police Sex Offender Investigative Unit, we were able to get specific information to ICE and remove dangerous criminal alien sex offenders from Virginia. We have the resources in place to make significant progress in removing criminal aliens from our Commonwealth. Public safety demands that we utilize these resources.”

McDonnell continued, “I trust all Virginians agree that there is no place in Virginia for criminal alien sex offenders. We must take every possible step to remove these dangerous criminals from our Commonwealth and nation. Criminal aliens threaten our citizens and our communities, and they undermine the rule of law. I thank the dedicated officers at ICE and the Virginia State Police for their important, and continuing, work on this public safety initiative. Virginia will be safer because of what we have accomplished today.”

“Since the establishment of the Sex Offender Investigative Unit in 2007 and with the assistance of Virginia Probation and Parole, the Virginia State Police have made significant progress in the maintenance and enforcement of Virginia’s Sex Offender Registry,” said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police Superintendent. “Working with ICE is one more partnership the state police utilizes to enhance the safety of our communities throughout Virginia.”

“Operation Cold Play is a joint effort between the Commonwealth of Virginia and ICE. This kind of team work among law enforcement agencies ensures a successful outcome,” said Vincent Archibeque, Acting Field Office Director for ICE Detention and Removal. “Aliens who commit crimes like this in our communities will not get another chance to victimize our citizens. We will continue to work towards our shared goal of removing these predators from our communities.”

ICE will continue its efforts in Phase II of this initiative to include a review of the remaining convicted criminal alien sex offenders on the initial list and a review of any recent additions to the list.

Tom Tancredo is one of maybe five politicians at any level I would still give money to. His speeches at CPAC last year were fantastic. His book should be required reading in every high school. He is a decade ahead of his time and the American people have not caught up yet. That’s why his campaign was so short lived.

Written by Lovisa about 7 years ago.

Oh, I see. So THAT was the reason! – OK,Joe, I’ll wait for the 2018 campaign,when others might have caught up with Tancredo’s ideas and ideals. (Well, it would have to be 2020, not 2018)

Lovisa, just curious: Do you actually believe that a candidate’s electoral success determines whether they were right or wrong in their positions? If so, you realize this makes you a GW Bush fan and me a supporter of Marion Barry.

Written by Lovisa about 7 years ago.

Well, Joe, GW Bush had a little help from the Supreme Court, if I remember correctly. Otherwise, you’re right. Winning an election or a campaign is no guarantee that there’s any wisdom involved.

I read a lot about Tancredo and he came out as a definite one-issue candidate, IMO. Now, Marion Barry, he defies all probabilities!

Written by Jack about 7 years ago.

All the Supremes did was read the Florida Election Law and hold the state to it.

If Gore had won his own state, Florida would not have mattered.

Written by Lovisa about 7 years ago.

The Supremes had no business getting into the chad checking stuff at all.

Written by Jack about 7 years ago.

Really? Why not? The Florida Supremes had clearly ignored the law without reason, and the election was clearly a national issue.

Getting away from hanging chads and the Fla Supremes, I would like to respond to Joe’s particular sentiments below about our Attorney General retyped below:

“One mailing, which seemed pretty expensive, had Hager in a big photo with Attorney General Bob McDonnell. I have talked with Bob McDonnell, and he seems like a nice guy, but his office has been absolutely abysmal on immigration enforcement in Virginia.

McDonnell’s office has said, essentially, that what Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia, and the Town of Herndon have done is impossible for the state of Virginia to do I have serious reservations about Bob McDonnell’s commitment to prosecuting immigration crimes in this state. Apart from Senator Ken Stolle, Bob McDonnell is probably the top Republican part-of-the-problem on the illegal alien crisis in this state. Thus I am not too impressed with Hager right off the bat.”

Although I have had disagreements with Senator McCain in the past regarding his somewhat lax position on illegal immigration and I firmly believe our borders should be secured first and our immigration laws enforced strictly, you are way off on your assessment of Virginia’s Attorney General. Your characterization of Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s policies on immigration enforcement as abysmal are out in left field.

No Attorney General in Virginia history has been stronger on combatting illegal immigration than Bob McDonnell. As back up and for your convenience, please check out these three articles, which readily pop up on a quick search.

Plus knowing Delegate Frederick, he has said he supports the McDonnell-Bolling ’09 ticket. Thank you for your blog and posts, very interesting content.

Written by ACTivist about 7 years ago.

Joe,

I’m with you on your “synopsis” for why I’m allowing you to drag my ass at 0′dark-thirty to Richmond. There is an easier way. Grow a bunch of big, bushy trees. What you can’t see can’t hurt you!

I still have a great fear of this whole scenerio. If we as conservatives can’t get enough logical thinking people into office, the few that do make it will end up on an island. Other than to vote, bills authored will be trashed and forget about appointments to any committees. I would hate to say there needs to be a trend but we need to convert some RINOs back towards the cause. Then later find some TRUE believers to replace them. Marshall and Frederick, while a good start if they make it, will surely fall way short of what is necessary. We will make definate inroads after this election because then the people will get good and pissed when they “feel” the policies of the new congress.

Regardless, I’m still in. Can we hang at the bar till its time to vote?

Tours of Sterling might be a good start with both Republican and Dem officeholders. Of course there is a sizeable number of people who are perfectly happy to let the problem grow in Sterling as long as it never gets near their own neighborhood. I have talked to plenty of them.

Bar is possible – depends greatly on what time I manage to get to sleep Friday night.

Written by ACTivist about 7 years ago.

Joe,

On an off note. Prince William county is now experiencing the fastest home buying growth in the state. Seems that the county with the GREATEST mortgage defaults has turned around and is now leading the charge in the plus direction.

I know what one could conclude but I will pose this; if the turn around happened in short order AFTER the county got strict on illegal enforcement, don’t you think that it should stand as a model for other counties with the same problem? Loudoun BOS-take notice!

Joe,
Although I agree with you on quite a few things, as a conservative, I believe you are way off base with your comments regarding our Attorney General. Specifically, I have reproduced your comments below:

“One mailing, which seemed pretty expensive, had Hager in a big photo with Attorney General Bob McDonnell. I have talked with Bob McDonnell, and he seems like a nice guy, but his office has been absolutely abysmal on immigration enforcement in Virginia. McDonnell’s office has said, essentially, that what Arizona, Oklahoma, Georgia, and the Town of Herndon have done is impossible for the state of Virginia to do.

I have serious reservations about Bob McDonnell’s commitment to prosecuting immigration crimes in this state. Apart from Senator Ken Stolle, Bob McDonnell is probably the top Republican part-of-the-problem on the illegal alien crisis in this state. Thus I am not too impressed with Hager right off the bat.”

No Virginia Attorney General has been tougher combatting the problem of illegal immigration than Bob McDonnell. To back up this claim, check out any of the following credible news outlets that counter your sentiment:

Finally, I think you miss the boat by trying to tie Bob McDonnell with the current RPV Chairman. I know Jeff Frederick and he has been quite public that he believe the McDonnell-Bolling ticket in 2009 is good for Virginia. As we all know, Jeff would not blow smoke. He says what is on his mind. See you at the Convention.

Best,
Neil

Written by jacob about 7 years ago.

Joe,
1. Shame I am not going tomorrow
2. w.r.t. Tom, if the Republican is going to lose in Nov., is it better to see Gilmore or Marshall get the black eye?

Written by G. Stone about 7 years ago.

Regardless, I’m still in. Can we hang at the bar till its time to vote?

Putting politics into perspective, see ya at the bar brother.

Written by jacob about 7 years ago.

Greg,
sounds like a great idea, can we stay plastered for about four years?

Neil, sorry, guess we are going to have to agree to disagree. I think McDonnell has been terrible on immigration enforcement. I will have a new post on this eventually, but suffice it to say for now his office issued an opinion last fall that it was impossible for Virginia to do what several other states are already doing.

Ever been to Sterling? Come for a visit and then tell me how good a job you think our attorney general is doing.

Written by G. Stone about 7 years ago.

The current AG is far more interested in combating internet porn / internet crimes to take an active or movement position on immigration. Someone needs to remind him he can walk and chew gum at the same time.

His office is quite status quo, make no waves and play the middle, where they perceive it to be be safe. As usual, they are wrong and have placed political viability above what is simply the right thing to do. I actually believe most of these guys to be politically tone deaf.

They need to stop being dinner party conservatives. Political mediocracy is OK as long as you are liked or a liberal. The problem is the target of their affection would not know the truth if you stuck it in their ear.

They need to stop being afraid of their own conservatism.

Written by ACTivist about 7 years ago.

What I don’t like about this whole sordid mess is that the “Republican” party is already calling the ticket for the next governor. Why can’t we wait? Is there a possibility that someone BETTER will want nomination (you know, true conservative with Va.’s values in mind and at heart)? Make your bed now to seal in another tenure of good-ol-boy politics? We haven’t even picked a permanent RPV Chairman yet! Already starting to stink along the lines of this pres. election!

Curse you, Joe. I feel I was much happier in life as an ostrich. Thanks so-o-o-o much for pulling my head out of my…..the sand so as (Jack) to see the light! You Buttinski, you.

Written by 10 feet tall and Bulletproof about 7 years ago.

While I generally think we’re screwed for the next four or so years….(If you thought we were bewfore, wait till you get a REAL taste of Frederick.)
But, having said that…I must correct lovisa’s regurgitation of the liberal press .
Florida’s Supreme Court stepped in to interpret the law. This was fine right up till they started issuing a new law (they wanted to dictate how the votes would be interpreted.)
This, as any sane person knows, is the job of the Florida State legislators…not the Judicials. The SCOTUS overturned the Florida State Supreme court because it was never the state’s judicial bench’s place to “make” law…but only to interpret it.
Tell it correctly and in full context next time. Anything less demonstrates ignorance in front of those that do know the particulars.

Written by ACTivist about 7 years ago.

10 proof,

“While I generally think we’re screwed for the next four or so years….(If you thought we were bewfore, wait till you get a REAL taste of Frederick.)”

I’m missing something here. What EXACTLY does this mean? What are you alluding to?

Written by 10 feet tall and Bulletproof about 7 years ago.

I am highly suspicious that the State Central candidates from the 10th Convention and Frederick at the helm of the RPV these days is all part of a larger move by Cooch to push a departure from the current Party Plan to a stricter one that begins to exclude all but the “Puritans”. State Central wins this year, followed by more in coming years, and then Frederick at the top to determine and rule on suspect Calls and other actions in the future.Here in Loudoun, we had exactly such an incident in which the Call violated Party Plan language, and it was called back, and corrected and made to be readvertised. Imagine Frederick just nodding his agreement with the segregation of anyone not deemed to be “pure” enough to participate in that Convention!!
This has all the trappings of the Salem Witch hunts. All one has to do to eliminate his political foe is point at them and scream RINO!!!!!
We are SCREWED until this kind of hypocrisy is ended. They spend all this time worrying about democrats in the conventions …and this year, Cooch signs up the spoiled little brats from the failed Libertarian run to boost his side’s numbers.You all didn’t win. The Libertarian Paullocks did.

Written by jacob about 7 years ago.

10 proof and full of it,
When one sounds like Democrat, walks like a Democrat, smells like a Democrat, and VOTES like a Democrat and then it proclaims its bad self to be a Republican, then sir, RINO it is.

The Salem witch hunts where based on people imagining behavior that was not there. Here people see the behavior, are impacted by it and are taking action. Your SMEAR JOB, calling it a witch hunt, is a pile of fresh bull cookies dumped into the HVAC. It’s stinking up the whole place.

You are engaging in sour grapes of the worst sort.

First you are turning a blind eye to the CRAP pulled in the last years with attacks on the LCRC chairman. These attacks where made possible by the good ol boy network up in central. We threw the bums OUT you Dolt. It is that same good ol boy network that has gotten us into this sorry state, who do you think engineered this mess, the ‘puritans’, a.k.a. conservative Republicans?

Then came the back stabbing of the REPUBLICAN candidate for Sheriff by all them ‘good’ Republicans who signed a pledge to support the winner of the primary but sent their money and support to the INDEPENDENT incumbent who was and IS in the pocket of the builders. The knives WILL BE coming out for that come next election, nothing will be forgiven, or forgotten.

Now you are attacking the party faithful because they are taking the party back from the corrupt big spenders who cater not to the community at large but to the likes of Toll Brothers?

The only spoiled brat is the yahoo you see in the mirror. One last thing, Ron Paul is a Republican, if he attracts libertarians that is better than attracting liberals.

Written by ACTivist about 7 years ago.

10 proof,

I would say that Jacob gave you a mouthful so you can chew on that for a while. As far as you on the “republican” side, you sem to have a vision that is contrary to conservative beliefs. My suggestion is that you could greatly help the liberal democrat campaign as that is what you are doing now anyway. And, yes, I hope Frederick “purifies” this party as you state. It would be a breath of fresh air to get back to REAL core values again.

Written by ACTivist about 7 years ago.

Jacob,
“The only spoiled brat is the yahoo you see in the mirror.”

Are you saying that because of the 80 pound cowboy belt buckle he wears that is almost bigger but much gaudier then he? Just wondering.